How's your footy team doing?

Eddie Howe will have to be a bit more tactily astute than he was against Liverpool last weekend when playing those other 3 teams in CL.

You don't seem to missing KdB much Pliers although you have had an easier start than most fixture wise.

What a fantastic result for the Tigers, yesterday. 1-0 win over Leicester and away from home as well.  Is this a sign of things to come? - part of me says we have been here before - but perhaps, this season I'll be proved wrong!!

3 wasted years come to an end as The Gas bite the bullet and sack Joey Barton. He took over a mid-table league 1 team and got them relegated with the worst record in the club's history. Some will praise him for getting them promoted at the first attempt, which indeed he did,  but he was then heavily backed financially by the owners to push for another promotion and got nowhere near it. We're now back in virtually the same position as when he arrived. He ditched the club's ethos for bringing on its own youngsters, instead relying on loan deals from higher league clubs to develop their youngsters for them. Results this year have been poor and the excuses about injuries and poor refereeing have worn thin.

A small group of us decided not to pay to watch whilst he was in charge, instead donating ticket money to the supporters club who back the club academy. With a sigh of relief,  we can now start attending again and I've just stumped up for a ticket to see us take on the mighty Northampton Town on Saturday.

I don't expect things to change overnight but I hope results start looking up - there are a number of good  candidates on the market right now - I'd be backing someone like Chris Wilder personally; he's got good experience at this level but would he want the job at this stage?

Still, onward no upward we hope! UTG! 👍

A thrilling 3-3 game between the Railwaymen and my team Accy Stanley would have been the catalyst between myself and Brian ABM for some decent banter in recent times.

Sadly, he is now watching from the stands in Heaven and I miss his comments. Noticeable too, that since he passed, CT has become a duller place. 

Funnily enough, I was also thinking of Brian on Tuesday night when The Gas were up there and knocked t'Alex out of the cup. He's sadly missed on here.

Post Barton life just gets better and better with an unexpected but apparently thoroughly deserved win at Bolton today - 15 shots, 8 on target - statistics we could only have dreamed of earlier in the season. Another trip to the northwest next weekend to take on Blackpool. Things are looking up, there's a hell of a lot of ground to make up but a place in the play offs has to be the aim now. 

Moulesy, I'm delighted for you that Barton is no longer involved in your club. Hopefully others will take note and banish him entirely from the game, although I understand there's a vacancy at a certain Turkish club 😉 

My thoughts and prayers are with ex Gas skipper Tom Lockyer and his family tonight. So brave to come back after collapsing in last year's play off final to play for club and country at the highest level. Sadly, I think common sense dictates that he won't be playing at that level again but hopefully there will always be a place for him in the game, whether at Luton or elsewhere. 

Such a shock, and my thoughts too are with him and his family. Hopefully he regains full health although I fear that his playing days, especially at the highest level, are ended. It certainly would be good if Luton took him onto their coaching staff if that is what he wants to do, of course.

Good to see Mr Lockyer has now been discharged from hospital after having treatment from our wonderful NHS and having a "device" fitted. 

He's now starting his rehabilitation and I would think it unlikely he'll be playing top level football again.

Whatever happens, the good news is he's alive. Much needed good news in the current climate.

Best wishes for good health, peace and happiness 

I see the local team, Wrexham, gave Nellie's Barrow a bit of a thumping over the recent holiday fixtures. Not that interested in Wrexham per se but there are a few in the village that do go, funnily enough they seem to be recent converts! Wonder why?

Anyway I did read a full page article in the i about how Barrow have improved. Made an interesting read. To avoid the problem of relocating any new players to the area they cast their net a bit wider by having their training around the Manchester area on non match days and then gather as a group for games. Seems to be working for them this year.